With Gordianus, his team’s passion finally found the victory they had been chasing

Hugo Pérez, Gabriel Bascoy, Cristian Velázquez, the Paoletti and Tassi families lived an unforgettable moment as the son of Señor Candy was crowned in the Gran Premio Nacional (G1) at Palermo

Gordianus embraces the glory of the Argentine Derby / JUAN I. BOZZELLO

“A shot for the side of justice!” That’s surely what Hugo Pérez must have told more than one person after winning the Gran Premio Nacional (G1) for the second time in his life—17 years after his first success in the Argentine Derby with Tecla Shiner (Indygo Shiner).

The beloved Uruguayan trainer celebrated once again, this time with Gordianus, and the thousands of hugs and hundreds of tears that followed told the story of another unforgettable day. For all his talk about his love for tango, Pérez wouldn’t trade racing—the mornings, the stables, and the life—for anything in the world.

A master when it comes to conditioning horses for distance—an expertise shaped during his days as a jockey and later as a young trainer at Maroñas—Hugo Miguel Pérez completed another formidable job with the colt owned by Stud El Olimpo, bred at Haras Tiveres.

If it was a return to glory for Pérez, the victory meant no less for Gabriel Bascoy and his family, the passionate owners behind the sky-blue silks reminiscent of Racing Club. After years of major investments, they finally got to take the picture they had dreamed of. They imagined it, they pursued it, and they made it real.

And if passion is the theme, there was plenty of it at Haras Tiveres, cradle of the dark bay and home to the Italian-Argentine partnership of Vittorio and Francesco Paoletti with Luigi, Armando, and Alex Tassi—a place where Italian bloodlines meet the criollo spirit.

Together, they were one with Gordianus, the hero of the 2025 Argentine Derby, who also gave Cristian Velázquez a moment of redemption. The jockey, returning from a serious injury that had sidelined him for months, delivered a sublime performance to complete the perfect comeback.

The victory of the son of Señor Candy—always the influence of Candy Ride—was carefully crafted. Pérez had chosen to skip the Eduardo Casey (G2) and focus all efforts on the Nacional, a plan that paid off as the colt produced a flawless, powerful, and stamina-laden performance.

Breaking alertly and traveling comfortably throughout, Gordianus settled kindly off a moderate pace set alongside Uncle Moi (Uncle Mo), who posted splits of 26.12, 52.28, 1:17.47, and 1:42.17. When they straightened for home, Gordianus found another gear, lengthened his stride, and never wavered, holding off the late but erratic rally of Winston (Forge) with ease.

The gray trained by Juan Saldivia ran wide throughout and had to be corrected several times in the stretch, still finishing a game second, 1 1/2 lengths adrift. Saldivia also saddled the third-place Butterfing (Angiolo), returning from a long layoff after a debut win in the Penna, and surely a name to remember as the half-brother to G1 winner Cima de Areco (Cima de Triomphe). Uncle Moi was a brave fourth, with Herald News (Equal Stripes) fifth. Among the disappointments, Blue Caviar (Equal Stripes)—winner of the Martínez (G3) and Casey (G2)—faded to eighth, beaten 11 lengths, and will need a few days before conclusions can be drawn.

A grandson of G1 winner Stormy Nimble (Bernstein), who also produced G1 Nastia (Fortify) and G2 scorers Hat Ninja (Hat Trick) and Joy Nidera (Fortify), the Nacional hero descends from the legendary Nipona (Babas Fables) family, blending the heritage of Ojo de Agua and La Biznaga—icons of Argentine breeding from another era.

Gordianus covered the 2,500 meters in 2:38.23, earning 120 million pesos for the victory, climbing to the top tier of his generation, and putting himself squarely in contention for the Champion 3-Year-Old Colt title.